One Winter Night
by sudoku.addict
Summary: Lupin askes Tonks to meet him at a local pub, intending to explain to her why they can't be together. Something unexpected happens, though. OneShot. Hope you like it.


I just adore the couple of Lupin and Tonks. Totally unexpected but they fit marvelously. When I imagine what must've been going on during Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince that we readers weren't privy to…oohh, the angst. Here's yet another LupinTonks don't-waste-your-young-life fic. Told mainly from Lupin's POV. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I still don't own it, but the meek shall inherit the earth! Ok, not really.

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Oh drat, why was he so damn stupid? He shouldn't have confessed anything to her! A tired Remus Lupin sat at his desk, slumped forward onto his elbows, head in hands. If only he hadn't been so tempted by her pleading eyes, her quivering lips, the thin material of her shirt…. He shook his head violently. You see where thinking about her leads you? Oh nothing drastic had happened, you see, nothing dishonorable. Nymphadora Tonks had cornered him one night after an Order meeting and utterly poured her heart out to him. He had stood there, chin on the floor, staring at her as though her had suddenly sprouted tentacles.

"Forgive me, Remus, but I need to know, do you love me?" she had whispered in that dark corridor in Grimmauld Place, her eyes sparkling in the semi-darkness, pleading and filled with passion.

"Uhh, Tonks, I…erm…. What?" He was so taken aback by her sudden question that he didn't no how to answer.

"Do. You. Love. Me? Just answer Yes or No."

He gulped and gazed into her dark green eyes (he could've sworn they were purple just a minute ago), and cracked a reluctant smile. "Yes, Tonks. Yes, I think I do."

He could only see the joy that spread across her face, and conveniently chose to ignore the fact that he was almost old enough to be her father, that he was a werewolf, that he was a physical danger to her…. But it was no use that evening; she had him cornered and he had nowhere to run.

But now, out of the heat of the moment and possessing a much clearer head, Remus groaned inwardly at his stupidity. She was too young to understand. How could she possibly fathom the monstrosity of his transformations? Didn't she know he was an outcast in the wizarding society? Getting involved with a werewolf was almost laughable in today's society. He sighed. No, it seemed that his was the only clear head they had between them. He would have to think for both of them.

He was deeply dreading their meeting tonight. He had asked her to meet him tonight at a local pub, where he could tell her the exact condition of their situation. Perhaps it was because he hadn't had a relationship in so many years, he almost considered giving up his gesture of nobility, violently holding her to him, and kissing her senseless. He got up, shaking his head and sighing deeply. No, he thought, it was definitely for her own good. Someday, when she's married happily to some bright young chap, she'll thank him for not wasting precious years of her life, and precious energy, on him.

He walked through the lonely streets of London, his breath foggy and pearly white against a backdrop of twinkling black. Somewhere nearby, a small gaggle of primary school children were still playing in a park, surrounded by deepening night. Their carefree shrieks of laughter cut through the still night air as piercingly as a foghorn. Remus dragged his feet from one step to the next, musing about the past year. Business with the Order was going well; they had more numbers this time around, more resources, more people felt assured of victory. But war with Voldemort held no promises, everyone knew that. They just sometimes didn't want to admit it. There were so many younger people in the Order this time, Tonks, Bill and Charlie Weasley, Tonks…. Yes, Tonks was in the Order now. She was now out there risking her life. His heart seized with a sudden fear at this thought. Such a vibrant young woman shouldn't be out there throwing her life in danger's path, he thought, she ought to be protected, like a delicate rose.

Soon, he found himself facing the entrance of the pub. He took a deep breath, swung open a grimy glass door and slipped inside. He quickly scanned the seats and found her in the back corner. With a feeling of foreboding weighing heavily on his heart, he made his way toward her.

"Hullo Remus." Oh she looks stunning, thought Remus, pink hair and all. He nodded nervously and seated himself across from her at the small table.

"Good evening, Tonks, you look splendid."

She inclined her head at him and returned the compliment.

They ordered their drinks from a surly waiter who looked as though a gallon of shampoo wouldn't do his tangled hair justice. After some small talk about Order affairs, Tonks suddenly assumed a business-like manner, "Well, Remus, out with it. You don't want to be involved with me, do you? Oh no, don't say anything just yet, please, hear me out. I shall assume you meant what you said to me that evening after the Order meeting, you do love me. But you don't want us to be in a relationship. More accurately, you don't want _me_ to be involved with a _dangerous_ werewolf like yourself." She sipped her drink delicately and plowed ahead. "So you've asked me here tonight to do a very noble thing. You'll tell me that it's all for my own good and that I'll thank you sometime later down the road. Do I digress from your intentions very much?"

Remus shook his head, speechless, his drink untouched.

"No, I didn't think so. You think my brilliant young life will be wasted on you. You want desperately to forget that you're a werewolf and that the public would never accept our marriage, assumed of course," she nodded gravely, "But your nobility always stops you. No, you think to yourself, you've absolutely no right to spoil her life that way. That damned nobility always checks your actions. You think I'm much too young to understand, that you're older and wiser and must show me the path of light, the path opposite from a dark life with you. Am I still bang on the dot?"

He nodded. She sipped her drink again.

"Well, Remus Lupin, I'm here to tell you to hell with your damned nobility. And no, I'm not just being a young hot-head. My telling you all those things has surely made it clear to you that I've thought about this just as long and hard as you have. Don't pretend you're the only one thinking here. That would be an absolute insult to my intelligence, don't you think? I don't suppose you've thought about how _I_ would feel if you broke it off with me. You think this some brief fling in my mind, don't you? That I'll get over this soon enough and move on with my life."

She suddenly switched from her crisp admonishing tone to a voice filled with suffering and pleading.

"Oh Remus, you're thinking I won't understand the sensibility of our separation, but it's _you_ who doesn't understand! I promise you, I've considered all that you've considered and I still stand by my decision. All that's standing in the way of our happiness is your conscience, your sense of nobility. Can't you see that the only obstacle you present yourself is you? Not your age, your class, your condition; but _you._"

Remus, to this point, had not said a word. He merely stared at her, open-mouthed.

"Remus, I want you. The other stuff is so insignificant compared to the happiness I feel with you. Why can't you see that?" She blinked back tears and gazed down at her now empty glass.

"Tonks, you…you don't…know what it's…like…my transformations. They're horrible. We would never be…accepted. Anywhere. And you're telling me you're prepared to…live like…that?"

A cry of frustration tore out of her throat as she angrily slammed her fist onto the table. "Yes! Goddamnit Lupin, you are stubborn! Yes, yes, and yes! Has it finally penetrated your thick skull?"

She knocked her chair over as she sudden stood, chest heaving slightly with fury.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He expected to come here and condole a hysterical Tonks, who he had expected to be weeping over a love affair cut short. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect the force that she was now exuding. Her strength seemed to radiate forth and permeate everything in the vicinity. He almost forgot to speak for admiring these waves of power undulating from her slim frame.

"Tonks, I don't know what to say."

He stood as well and quickly covered the distance between them. "You're amazing Tonks, I can't believe this."

Grinning from ear to ear, his arms encircled her protectively as tears of relief ran down her cheeks. And he kissed her, all doubt of his love vanishing from his mind.

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Awww, happy ending. All endings should be happy shouldn't they?


End file.
